In the summer of 1981 the common flora and fauna of 28 species from Hornsund were collected, and the energy value, lipid content and global activity determined. It was found that the plants had low energy values, varying from 12.26 2 0.42 kJ g-' dry weight to 15.45 +1.00 kJ-' dry weight. The highest values in animals were noted in Liparis liparis (Pisces) 22.15 2 0.89kJg-' dry weight, and Sagitta ekgans (Chaetognatha) 20.64 2 0.49 kJ g-', the lowest being in Orchomene minuta (Amphipoda) 11.30 2 0.74 kJ g-' d.w. The lipid contents in the species studied were mostly low, the mean range from lowest to highest being 1.37-8.60% for plants and 7.14-31.93% for animals, and they were proportional to the energy value. Both the energy values and lipid contents were comparable to those in similar species from other waters. The global ? activity in the organisms analysed was not high; at the same time plants had a higher content of radioactive isotopes, 1.97-61.9 pCi g-' d.w., than animals, 5.2-17.8pCi g-' d.w.